Quote Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee View Post
In what way?

I have a theory that having separate Welsh and English medium schools doesn't help the Welsh language. I'd like to see those schools combined.

Imagine a merger of an English and Welsh medium secondary school. All departments merge. Lessons are taught in both languages, depending on the choice of the child, so friends A and B are both going to their GCSE music class - A is in one room while B is next door being taught in Welsh. The environment would be truly bilingual. Those who learn in English are aware of Welsh being used and might feel there's more point to the Welsh language than some do currently. They get to go to school with their friends. Resources get pooled and strengthened by a merger. Welsh speaking staff in English medium schools are able to teach in Welsh. There would be some cost benefits as well. Some people might say that children learning through the medium of Welsh won't be in a Welsh-only environment, but the truth is that there is little Welsh spoken by kids in Welsh schools outside of the classroom, unless there are teachers about.
Funny you should say this Eric, cardiff council want to expand a Welsh primary as it’s full and has no space to expand in its current site, they also of course receive more money per pupil if they are learning in Welsh. My kids go to an English primary school nearby, a large site with two buildings, lots of space and it’s possibly not full due to 3 other schools being within half a mile.
We heard a few months ago the plan was to either swap sites or possibly merge giving the Welsh lot the smaller building for key stage 1, thus mixing the schools. Thought that might be quite a good idea but the welshy parents wanted all or nothing. The Welsh school is mainly all white middle class and ours is probably only 40%, it’s one of the most cosmopolitan schools in cardiff and has kids recently arrived from all over including Iraq and the like. I know a few of the Welsh parents and they don’t think they are but their views are bordering on racist which is why they don’t want precious Jonny mixing with kids from such places.
Put the council in a bit of a flux now anyway, all or nothing hasn’t gone down well in our school. You would think with covid and kids well being they would have other focus anyway. We will see hey